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As the youngest of nine children and unwanted by her mother, the Lass (as she is called by her brother) has always been odd. When she frees a great white reindeer and is given the ability to speak with animals, she is unsure if it is a gift or a curse. Soon, despite her mother’s constant chagrin, she becomes known to her community as the girl who can speak to animals.
When a polar bear seeks her out, promising riches for her family if the Lass will accompany him to his castle and live with him there for a year, she doesn’t hesitate. Neither the bear nor his ice castle is what it seems, though. As time goes on, the Lass begins to unravel a mysterious language and uncovers secrets about the silent staff of castle servants, the bear and the one who holds them all captive.
Soon the Lass finds herself on a grueling journey to a place east of the sun and west of the moon. Along the way, the truth is revealed: Her bear is really a prince who has been enchanted by a troll queen, and it’s up the Lass to find a way to rescue him and break his curse before it’s too late.
This is the fourth retelling of the East of the Sun, West of the Moon fairy tale I’ve read, and of all of them, this one definitely stays closest to the original tale.
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow is set in a beautiful, atmospheric Viking world. The author fleshes out the story with touches of Norse tradition, language and everyday life that adds a layer of realism to the tale. In a way, it also reminded me of The Chronicles of Narnia, with the talking animals and many mythical creatures that make an appearance. However, the one area where I found this story lacked something was the romance. It felt unrealistic and forced — present just because that’s how it was in the original fairy tale.
Overall, this story appears to be written for the younger readers in the young adult age range, and I found it to be a simplistic, short and sweet version of the tale. (For readers looking for a more complex and compelling take, read Echo North.)
Rated: Mild. There is no profanity. A character is forced to stay in bed with a stranger. They never speak, touch or see each other. An animal is forced to sacrifice itself (humanizing the animals and hearing them speak made the event distasteful). Many trolls die.
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